County food-access profile · New Jersey
Monmouth County, NJ
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Monmouth County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 34.1%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 5.4%
- on SNAP
- 645K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
34.1% of Monmouth County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 143 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 71
- low-access tracts
- 30K
- food-desert residents
- 6.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 6.5%
- below poverty line
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).
USDA data puts Monmouth County's low-access share at 34.1%, above the national share. 71 of the county's 143 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 214,813 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 29,628 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
How Monmouth County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Monmouth County's 34.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #662 most-affected nationwide.
Monmouth County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 143 census tracts in Monmouth County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Monmouth County vs. other New Jersey counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New Jersey
- Monmouth
Monmouth County, NJ
34.1 % low-access
- Atlantic
Atlantic County, NJ
30.1 % low-access
- Bergen 10.3
Bergen County, NJ
10.3 % low-access
- Burlington
Burlington County, NJ
36.3 % low-access
- Camden
Camden County, NJ
20 % low-access
- Cape May
Cape May County, NJ
32.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 143 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 630,380 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 71 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 214,813 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 29,628 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 645,353 |
| Median Household Income | $124,845 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.5%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 13,702 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.4%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
About 5.4% of Monmouth County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 34.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 5.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 13,702 households here.
- 6.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for Monmouth County
above the national share
6 of Monmouth County's 143 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.2% of all its tracts.
A further 65 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 71.
An estimated 214,813 residents, roughly 34.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 29,628 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 72 tracts (50.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Monmouth County
Monmouth County has 337 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 110 locations (33% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 110
- 6-12 food store, freehold
- 7 eleven 2412 25398e, belmar
- 7 eleven 2412 34275b, neptune
- 7 eleven store 33061a, west long branch
- 7-11 store f 34686, manasquan
- 7-eleven 24247e, belmar
- 7-eleven 32660j, eatontown
- 7-eleven 32948b, neptune
- 7-eleven 41177a, long branch
- 7-eleven inc f, asbury park
- 7-eleven inc f 11019 11019f, freehold
- 7-eleven inc f 11032, ocean
- 7-eleven inc f 11049d, keyport
- 7-eleven inc f 23887 23887d, red bank
- 7-eleven inc f 24724c, sea bright
- 7-eleven inc f 34687a, asbury park
- 7-eleven inc f 36048a, wall township
- 7-eleven inc f 39464, keansburg
- 7-eleven inc-f 11044 11044f, spring lake
- 7-eleven store #41848a, freehold
- 7-eleven store 26572 26572b, long branch
- 7-eleven store 36063a, union beach
- 7-eleven store 39710a, freehold
- 7-eleven 27769f, holmdel
- 7-eleven inc f 11050c, little silver
- 7-eleven inc f 16090g, spring lake
- 7-eleven store #11022e 11022e, tinton falls
- 7-eleven store #18606f, ocean
- 7-eleven store #34375a, middletown
- 7-eleven store #38399a 38399a, atlantic highlands
- 7-eleven store #38532a 38532a, neptune
- 7-eleven store 11034f, long branch
- 7-eleven store 11040c 11040c, belford
- 7-eleven store 2411 36883a, neptune
- 7-eleven store 2413 39663a, wall township
- 7-eleven store 34202b, matawan
- 7-eleven store 35863b, belford
- asbury avenue deli & convenience llc, asbury park
- bevacqua's deli, north middletown
- bray ave deli, north middletown
- cbs supermarket, keansburg
- circle k, highlands
- circle k, keansburg
- d&g fuel corp, keansburg
- dj's at asbury tower, asbury park
- ez quick food market, belford
- fourguru llc., farmingdale
- grover food & convenience, freehold
- j&s food mart, keyport
- k & k family llc dba country farm, asbury park
- kim all food store 2, freehold
- krauszer's, ocean
- krauszers food store, freehold
- lavya american grocery llc 257, hazlet township
- logy's grocery & deli, neptune
- long branch one stop, long branch
- lucky convenience store, howell
- main street deli & grocery, keansburg
- mini market, asbury park
- moksh convenience llc, farmingdale
- mr lopez grocery & deli ii, keansburg
- neptune 66, neptune
- oak hill deli llc, freehold
- one stop food store, belford
- pantry 1 food mart, howell
- papi's foodmarket, long branch
- pathway market, ocean grove
- plaza convenience, neptune
- quick stop food store, belmar
- rs fuel, morganville
- rug mill deli & convenience store, freehold
- sabi brothers llc, hazlet township
- shree hari food llc dba discount food store, asbury park
- snack shack, matawan
- speedway 3453, red bank
- speedway 3459, eatontown
- speedy mart, bradley beach
- sungate deli, port monmouth
- wawa 343, howell
- wawa 754, manalapan
- wawa 784, marlboro
- wawa 790, red bank
- wawa 8473, freehold
- wawa 909, cream ridge
- wawa 910, freehold
- wawa 917, manasquan
- wawa 929, wall township
- wawa 938, howell
- wawa 955, howell
- wawa 976, keyport
- welsh farms, highlands
- wawa 8303, neptune
- wawa 8306, leonardo
- wawa 8329, neptune
- wawa 993, manalapan
- wawa 996, tinton falls
- wawa store 8368, eatontown
- wawa store 8369, oakhurst
- wawa store 8417, hazlet
- wawa store 8443, hazlet
- wawa store 8450, eatontown
- wawa store 8460, middletown
- wawa store 8700, freehold
- welsh farm, long branch
- welsh farms, long branch
- welsh farms deli & convenience, ocean
- welsh farms deli & sub sandwiches, belmar
- welshfarms convenient store no, red bank
- wilson ave deli, port monmouth
- yug mart, keansburg
Combination Grocery/Other · 99
- 7-eleven store 39053a, belmar
- cvs 10046, long branch
- cvs 10062, morganville
- cvs 7069, hazlet
- cvs pharmacy 1088, matawan
- cvs pharmacy 2031, w keansburg
- cvs pharmacy 2868, tinton falls
- cvs pharmacy 431, eatontown
- cvs pharmacy 01946, freehold
- cvs pharmacy 10031, ocean township
- cvs pharmacy 10091, belmar
- cvs pharmacy 10363, howell
- cvs pharmacy 11012, middletown
- cvs pharmacy 1214, highlands
- cvs pharmacy 1240, manasquan
- cvs pharmacy 2015, freehold
- cvs pharmacy 2508, manalapan
- cvs pharmacy 2511, aberdeen
- cvs pharmacy 2547, morganville
- cvs pharmacy 862, marlboro
- cvs pharmacy inc 5461, manalapan
- cvs pharmacy inc 7182, oakhurst
- cvs/pharmacy 790, little silver
- dollar tree 1801, hazlet
- dollartree 10146, hazlet
- dollartree 10191, howell
- dollartree 10232, ocean
- dollartree 8758, manasquan
- deli discount depot, freehold
- dollar general 12121, west long branch
- dollar general 13067, neptune city
- dollar general 13830, eatontown
- dollar general 19185, belmar
- dollar general 20497, keansburg
- dollar general 21299, farmingdale
- dollar general 23183, cream ridge
- dollar general 23861, keyport
- dollar general 31639, howell
- dollar tree 1679, west long branch
- dollar tree 3057, ocean
- dollar tree 3784, freehold
- dollar tree 3793, wall township
- dollar tree 4692, aberdeen
- dollar tree 4893, holmdel
- dollar tree 5231, neptune
- dollar tree 594, morganville
- dollar tree 615, tinton falls
- dollar tree 6166, howell
- dollar tree 7447, atlantic highlands
- dollar tree 8619, manalapan
- dollar tree 8865, red bank
- family dollar 2103, neptune city
- family dollar 3966, north middletown
- family dollar 9044, oakhurst
- family dollar store 5112, asbury park
- family dollar store 5371, long branch
- long branch convenience, long branch
- ocean state job lot 558, freehold
- ocean state job lot 560, holmdel
- ouris market deal, oakhurst
- quick chek food stores 65, neptune
- quick chek food stores 81, middletown
- quick chek 123, highlands
- quick chek 147, morganville
- quick chek 151, howell
- quick chek 96, englishtown
- quick chek corporation 153, eatontown
- quick chek corporation 176, shrewsbury
- quick chek corporation 178, manalapan
- quick chek food stores 120, wall township
- quick chek food stores 75, hazlet
- quick stop one convenience, west long branch
- quickchek 180, eatontown
- quickchek 199, manalapan
- quickchek 217, neptune
- quickchek corporation 145, farmingdale
- the pork roll store 1, allentown
- uncle giuseppe's shrewsbury inc, tinton falls
- walgreens 07915, neptune
- walgreens 5200, neptune
- walgreens 00684, red bank
- walgreens 02706, little silver
- walgreens 04624, belford
- walgreens 04963, freehold
- walgreens 05111, hazlet
- walgreens 05201, west long branch
- walgreens 05620, matawan
- walgreens 10861, howell
- walgreens 12441, englishtown
- walgreens 13698, freehold
- walgreens 13703, hazlet
- walgreens 13717, port monmouth
- walgreens 13722, howell
- walgreens 13862, manalapan
- walgreens 15557, red bank
- walgreens 19234, spring lake
- walgreens 19420, oakhurst
- walgreens 19748, belmar
- walgreens 19996, long branch
Medium Grocery Store · 18
- asbury farm, asbury park
- asbury meat, asbury park
- belmar food store inc, belmar
- brazilian meat boutique and more, long branch
- dollar volume, long branch
- freddy's on monmouth, oakhurst
- grande supermarket inc., long branch
- international mexican grocery & deli llc, oakhurst
- juquilita grocery 2, neptune
- khasky marketplace, long branch
- la china poblana, red bank
- la placita de long branch, long branch
- nature harvest farm market, middletown
- nature's warehouse, howell
- picks deli market, belmar
- rincon latino supermarket, red bank
- santamaria grocery, matawan
- supersavers market, red bank
Small Grocery Store · 6
- abuelita food market, bradley beach
- bill's corner store, asbury park
- el apache food inc, keyport
- juquilita grocery ii llc, bradley beach
- la juquilita grocery store, howell
- la michoacana manasquan llc, manasquan
Large Grocery Store · 5
- brazilian market llc, long branch
- exito fresh market, freehold
- fresh food mart inc., middletown
- keyport family market llc, keyport
- nella's bakery and meat market, long branch
Farmers' Market · 4
- asbury fresh, asbury park
- hazlet farmers market, hazlet
- howell farmers market, howell
- matawan farmers market, matawan
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- craft cuts butchery 2 corp., oakhurst
- eatontown 9061, eatontown
- godek's livestock & abattoir, marlboro
Seafood Specialty · 3
- rt 9 golden fish, freehold
- the fishing line, howell
- woolleys fish market 1, freehold
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2
- j & s fruit exchange, farmingdale
- rt9 farmers market freehold, freehold
Showing 250 of 337 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New Jersey
Compare Monmouth County vs Atlantic County → · All New Jersey counties →
Food access nationally, New Jersey in context
Monmouth County sits inside New Jersey (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Monmouth County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Monmouth County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Monmouth County? ▼
Is Monmouth County a food desert? ▼
What share of Monmouth County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.